Today we’d like to introduce you to Karie Johnston.
Hi Karie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have always felt a natural pull toward listening. Even before I had the professional tools, I found myself deeply invested in the stories and feelings of those around me. This desire to help led me to the University of Florida with the intention of becoming a doctor. However, it was during my time at UF that I discovered the mental health field, a discovery that would eventually change the course of my life.
While in college, I experienced a trauma that stayed with me, though I didn’t fully understand its impact at the time. It wasn’t until I entered the Master’s in Social Work (MSW) program at UCF that the pieces began to click. I started to see how my own history was distorting my perspective and influencing my choices. I realized a fundamental truth: if I wanted to be an effective healer for others, I had to be willing to do the work myself.
I explored various therapeutic modalities, but the true “aha” moment came when I found a therapist who facilitated Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART). That experience provided a level of healing I hadn’t found elsewhere. It was a catalyst. From that day forward, I knew I wanted to provide that same profound relief and transformation for others.
Before launching my own practice, I intentionally sought out a wide range of environments to understand the full spectrum of the human experience. My career has been a tapestry of four distinct roles, each adding a vital layer to my clinical expertise:
Residential Care: Serving as a therapist at an adolescent group home, where I navigated complex behavioral and emotional needs.
Clinical Outpatient: Providing therapy for all ages and conducting intake assessments in a traditional clinical setting.
Special Education: Working as a Life Skills and Social Skills teacher for students with disabilities, focusing on functional growth and neurodiversity.
Educational Support: Serving as a School Social Worker, where I provided both individual counseling and ran therapeutic groups to support students and their families.
Each of these separate environments helped me hone my skillset and gain the confidence that prepared me for where I am today. Through these experiences, I saw firsthand how trauma and mental health ripple through families and communities, reinforcing my belief that true healing requires a deeply holistic approach.
I eventually branched out into private practice to help individuals the way I knew they deserved to be helped: with a focus on regaining hope and restoring the self. Today, I run Holistic Care Therapy and Consulting, LLC, a virtual practice making care accessible for clients in Florida and Wisconsin.
By utilizing tools like ART, I help my clients reprocess their pain and trauma until it no longer holds a grip on them. They can finally live life free from what was holding them back. My mission is to honor the journey my clients have been through while supporting their growth every step of the way.
In addition to my virtual practice, I am currently developing a Women’s Weekend Retreat focused on the pillars of Restore, Refresh, and Reconnect, providing a dedicated space for deep healing and community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are always obstacles along the way. To me, so much of the journey depends on how you face those obstacles and your specific view of the challenge. I believe that challenges have helped me grow and are exactly what allowed me to get to where I am today.
I have faced my share of hardships that tested my resolve. At one point, I lost a position I truly loved because of a loss of grant funding. Later, I found myself as the sole earner for my family when my husband lost his job due to the bankruptcy of the company he worked for.
I’ve learned that hardships can break you or make you. For me, these moments helped me change my perspective on what is really important. They deepened my empathy and my strength. Owning my own private practice today is something I take great pride and joy in, because I know the resilience it took to build it.
We’ve been impressed with Holistic Care Therapy and Consulting, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I provide virtual mental health therapy to individuals across Florida and Wisconsin. I specialize in helping people heal from trauma, navigate deep-seated pain, and reconnect with their true selves. My practice is built on the belief that therapy should not just be about “managing” symptoms, but about true restoration.
I am most proud of my work with Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART). This is a powerful, evidence-based modality that allows clients to reprocess traumatic memories and painful emotions so they no longer have a physical or emotional hold on them. While I have a broad background in mental health, ART is the cornerstone of my work because of the rapid, life-changing relief it provides.
What sets my practice apart is the extensive clinical and personal lived experience. Having worked in diverse environments, from adolescent group homes and special education to the school system and outpatient clinics, I understand the many layers of the human experience. I don’t just see a “client”; I see a whole person who exists within a family, a community, and a history. Because I have navigated my own journey of healing through ART, I bring a level of authentic empathy and belief in the process that you can’t get from a textbook.
Brand-wise, I am most proud of our commitment to accessibility and hope. By operating as a virtual practice, I can meet people where they are, removing the barriers of travel and office hours. I am also incredibly proud to be expanding into Women’s Weekend Retreats. These retreats are built on the pillars of Restore, Refresh, and Reconnect, offering a sacred, in-person space for women to step away from the noise of life and focus on their personal growth and healing. I will be attending the 3rd Annual Jacksonville Holistic Wellness Expo as a vendor on February 28th, 2026, launching the details of the retreat.
I want readers to know that at Holistic Care Therapy and Consulting, we honor the journey you have been through, but we do not let it define your future. Whether through our virtual sessions or our restorative retreats, our goal is to help you reach a place where you are free from what was holding you back. We are here to help you regain hope and realize that it is possible to live life fully again.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Risk is a necessary bridge to growth. Whether in a clinical setting or in life, we often stay in “safe” situations even if they are unfulfilling because the unknown feels more dangerous than the unhappy. However, my journey has taught me that the greatest risk is actually staying stagnant and not following the path you were meant for. I think of risk not as a gamble, but as an investment in potential.
One of the most significant risks I have taken was a personal one: the decision to be vulnerable and address my own trauma. Entering a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) program at UCF and choosing to “take my own advice” by seeking therapy was a risk to my ego and my comfort zone. It required me to deconstruct my own perspectives and choices. It felt risky to face those parts of myself, but it was that specific risk that led me to Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and ultimately shaped the clinician I am today. Without that personal risk, I wouldn’t have the professional “why” that fuels my practice.
My biggest professional risk was branching out to start Holistic Care Therapy and Consulting, LLC. Starting a virtual practice from scratch was daunting. There is a lot of “imposter syndrome” that can creep in when you decide to do things your own way. However, I realized that the “safety” of a traditional job can be limited in how I wanted to help people. I took the risk because I believed in the power of a holistic, specialized approach, especially with ART. I wanted to create a brand that prioritized the individual.
Facing financial hurdles, like being the sole earner for my family during a company bankruptcy, also reframed my view of risk. It taught me that I am resilient. When you realize you can survive a “worst-case scenario,” taking a calculated risk to follow your passion, like setting up Women’s Weekend Retreats or expanding my practice into two states, doesn’t feel like a threat anymore. It feels like an opportunity.
For me, the risk is always worth it if the result is restoring hope both for myself and for the clients I serve
Pricing:
- Individual session $150 for 55 minutes
- Consultation $49 for 30 minutes
- Retreat TBA
Contact Info:
